Satellite images analyzed on October 27, 2024, reveal significant damage from an Israeli strike on Iranian military facilities connected to past nuclear and missile activities. These attacks reportedly affected buildings at Iran’s Parchin military base, where, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran once conducted high-explosive tests linked to potential nuclear triggers. Iran maintains that its nuclear program is solely peaceful.
Additional damage was observed at the nearby Khojir military base, associated with missile development. Iran’s military has yet to acknowledge the damage but has confirmed the deaths of four soldiers from its air defense units and an additional civilian casualty, though details remain undisclosed. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged a balanced reaction, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated the strikes met their objectives.
The strikes’ broader impact remains uncertain. Analysts from various organizations, including the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Institute for Science and International Security, identified a heavily damaged building, “Taleghan 2,” at Parchin. This building allegedly contained equipment for tests involving high-explosive compression of uranium, potentially relevant to nuclear weapon development.
Further strikes targeted sites linked to missile production, likely disrupting Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has not publicly addressed the damage. Satellite imagery also captured burned fields near Iran’s Tange Bijar natural gas site, although a link to the attacks is unclear.
No damage has been reported to Iran’s active nuclear enrichment sites or oil industry facilities. The IAEA confirmed that Iran’s safeguarded nuclear sites remain unaffected, with inspectors safe and operations continuing.
